1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to soles of shoes, and more particularly, to a shoe soles that are placed over cleated soles to permit the cleated shoes to be used on hard surfaces without damaging the hard surfaces.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Soles that are added on to cleated shoes so that the cleated shoes can be worn on hard surfaces are well known in the art as represented by the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,883,963; 3,913,243; 4,807,372; 4,872,273; and 5,070,631. More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 3,883,963 discloses a cleat guard for installation on the bottom of a sports shoe. The inner walls of cleat-receiving wells are straight and perpendicular to the top surface of the device. As such, the only forces which adhere the cleat guard to the bottom of the athletic shoe are frictional forces between the side walls of the cleat-receiving wells and the cleats. This type of adherence may be unreliable, especially in wet weather when frictional forces would be dramatically reduced. In this respect, it would be desirable if a cleat receiving shoe sole device were provided that did not depend entirely upon frictional forces between wells in the cleat receiving shoe sole device and the cleats for securing the device to the shoe.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,913,243 discloses a golf sandal that is strapped onto a golf shoe to provide an additional undersole to the golf shoe. A plurality of straps are required to secure the protective sole to the shoe. It appears that if the straps are not applied correctly or if they break, then the protective sole will separate from the golf shoe. In this respect, it would be desirable if a cleat receiving shoe sole device were provided which did not depend solely upon straps for adhering the protective sole to the shoe.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,372 discloses another walking sole for a cleated shoe. With this device, the walking sole is hinged so as to be especially adaptable for bicycle riding. Repetitive flexing of the hinge disclosed in the material comprising the sole can cause rapid fatigue of the material and breaking of the material. In this respect, it would be desirable if a cleat receiving shoe sole device were provided which did not include a repetitively flexing hinge that causes weakening and destruction of the sole.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,273 disclose an add on sole for a spiked shoe in which wide spaces are provided between the spikes and the add on sole. The add on sole is attached to the shoe by using shell-like structures at the front and rear of the sole. Such shell-like structures would be difficult and expensive to make. Furthermore, the inherent capabilities of the cleats for attaching the add on sole to the shoe are completely ignored. In this respect, it would be desirable if a cleat receiving shoe sole device were provided which avoided using shell-like structures for connecting the add on sole to the shoe and which took advantage of the capabilities of the cleats for adhering the add on sole to the shoe.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,631 discloses an add on sole for a golf shoe that employs a plurality of separate and distinct sliding clamping member present in the add on sole that clamp onto the cleats of the golf shoe. In practice, it would be very difficult and expensive to equip an add on sole with numerous sliding clamping members to clamp the cleats. In this respect, it would be desirable if a cleat receiving shoe sole device were provided which utilized cleats for attaching the add on sole to the cleated shoe without employing a plurality of numerous sliding clamping members.
Most shoes, whether cleated or not, contain an arched area in the undersole, whereby an empty space is present between a surface being walked on the inner wall of a heel. It is noted that none of the add on soles disclosed in the prior art discussed above employ this empty space and employ the inner wall of the heel for stabilizing the attachment of the add on sole to the cleated shoe. In this respect, it would be desirable if a cleat receiving shoe sole device were provided which utilized the inner wall of the heel for stabilizing the attachment of the add on sole to the cleated shoe.
It is also noted that none of the add on soles disclosed in the prior art discussed above employ features of the top surface of the add on sole for attaching the add on sole to the cleated shoe. Instead, the prior art discloses that the add on soles are secured to the cleated shoes by either straps or means for gripping the cleats. In this respect, it would be deskable if a cleat receiving shoe sole device were provided that employed the top surface of the add on sole for securing the add on sole to the cleated shoe.
It is also noted that none of the add on soles disclosed in the prior art discussed above have means for cleaning the cleats as they are connected to the add on sole. In this respect, it would be desirable if a cleat receiving shoe sole device were provided which cleaned the cleats as the add on sole is worn on the cleated shoe.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use cleat receiving shoe sole devices, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a cleat receiving shoe sole apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) does not depend entirely upon frictional forces between wells in the cleat receiving shoe sole device and the cleats for securing the device to the shoe; (2) does not depend solely upon straps for adhering the protective sole to the cleated shoe; (3) does not include a repetitively flexing hinge that causes weakening and destruction of the add on sole; (4) avoids using shell-like structures for connecting the add on sole to the shoe; (5) utilizes cleats for attaching the add on sole to the cleated shoe without employing a plurality of numerous sliding clamping members; (6) utilizes the inner wall of the heel for stabilizing the attachment of the add on sole to the cleated shoe; (7) employs the top surface of the add on sole for securing the add on sole to the cleated shoe; (8 ) cleans the cleats as the add on sole is worn on the cleated shoe; and (9) takes advantage of the capabilities of the cleats for adhering the add on sole to the shoe. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique cleat receiving shoe sole apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.